Alien - 'Galactic Confrontation'
by X-Genesis
Summary: A new seed of humanity tentatively reaches out to the unknown. It is the 25th century and Galactic colonization has begun....but where will it lead? In Chapter 2, deep within the bowels of the ship, there are signs of life!
1. Default Chapter

This is my 'take' on the 'Alien' universe

This is my 'take' on the 'Alien' universe. I hope you like it! I'm going to see where the story goes. It might turn out to be a long one, so bear with me if it does. All copyrighted stuff used without permission for non-profit purposes, etc. Enjoy!

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ALIEN –'GALACTIC CONFRONTATION' 

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Chapter One – 'Do You Know Where You're Going To?'

The vast expanse of space was peppered with billions of stars. Against this infinite backdrop, a dark shape appeared. Moving forward inexorably. The craft was an E-type star cruiser, circa 2435 production date. Assembled in the low gravity construction sites of Sol's asteroid belt, where raw materials were plentiful. 

It was huge. The interior covered millions of cubic feet. There were six levels, all comprising different functions and purposes. 

It had been one of the first wave of craft. The original, (perhaps only), exodus of mankind from Earth. The planet had been ravaged and was in a state of global ecological meltdown. Much of the polar ice caps had melted. Human population levels had expanded out of all control, occasionally being cut back by emerging super viruses. The ozone layer had almost completely disappeared. The One World Council had implemented a worldwide planting of oceanic algae farms to try to redress the gaseous balance, and feed the starving billions. 

It was in the year 2412 that Councillor Ventaz had announced a bold new initiative was to be implemented. Based on the assumption that mankind's future on planet Earth was no longer guaranteed, an initiative had been drawn up to plan a venture for the future of humanity. With the fairly recent development of warp drives and the colonizing of the inner solar system, the OWC had decided to invest large sums of money in the propagation of Earth life throughout the galaxy. Intensive scanning of the Universe had revealed no evidence of extraterrestrial life. The search had been exhaustive, but to no avail. After centuries of increasingly sophisticated methods of investigation, ET, if he, she or it existed, did not want to phone home. Of course, this did not mean that life was limited to our planet alone. The Universe might be teeming with life, but life unlike anything we could imagine, and intelligent life with unimaginable forms of communication.

And so, Project Ark was born. The mission was the same for each of the 12 juggernauts. They were to transport their human, animal and plant cargo to various target destinations in the nearby galactic spiral arm. Systems had been pinpointed with Earth-like planets. On arrival, the crew would be awakened from their cryogenic sleep to stage-manage the initial investigation. 

Probes would be sent down to the planet to investigate the indigenous atmosphere and the composition of the soil. Tests would be taken to determine whether there were enough dormant organic compounds and, most importantly, if water was in abundance, either frozen or liquid. 

Only then, when all criteria had satisfactorily been met, when they were sure that no native lifeforms were present, would the planet colonization begin. The methods at their disposal would take anything from several hundred, to several thousand years, to complete. Much would depend on planet size. Atmospheric processors would have to be built in order to create the right mix of global gases. Asteroids and comets would be sent on a collision course to the poles in order to release the ice if it was frozen. Thermonuclear depth charges could also be used globally to free the water. 

The intended result would be a new branch of life and of humanity in the Universe. The initial settlers would have to adapt. Life would not be easy at the beginning. However, using frozen stocks of eggs, sperm and foetuses, the population would gradually increase. As well as the identikit planet, they had the identikit government and also social engineering to contend with. Ensuring that the mistakes made first time, back on Earth, would not be repeated here. 

The outer solar arm was, over the next several dozen millennia, about to turn a faded green colour. The universal indicator of the flourishing, expanding wave of Life. Indication, if any was needed, to the eye of anyone watching in another galaxy, that intelligent life HAD occurred in the Milky Way. 

This was a latter day Genesis, the seeding of a galactic Eden. The only sure fire certainty for the continuation of life. This was the end of the first chapter of Mankind, and the launch of a glorious destiny…

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	2. The Awakening

Alien – Galactic Confrontation

Chapter 2 – The Awakening

Deep within the bowels of the cruiser, a computer screen flickers into life. It has spent the last 100 years in standby mode. An array of digits and information flicker across the screen. A stream of information processed by the hard drive. 

A digitised voice crackles across the ships intercom. 

"Gaia command system fully operational. Mission systems online. Preparing download of all tactical data. Star system XVFR 13 located. Planet number 6 in inner system fulfils initial selection criteria. Approximate time of arrival to planet orbit, 2 days."

"Initiating reanimation of all crew members."

In a darkened chamber nearby, 8 pods glisten in the low level light. The units contain the cryogenically frozen crew of the cruiser. There were 5 men and 3 women. Inside each pod lay a living, breathing human. 

A warm, gel substance surrounding each individual kept the ambient temperature steady. Electrodes attached to the major muscle groups provided involuntary spasms to keep muscles toned. Breathing was regulated by a lung filtration unit. Heart rate was slowed to a few beats a minute, also metabolism. Food was delivered via injection and pumped into the stomach cavity. 

Life had been slowed to its lowest rate. The rate of ageing had been cut, 1 day for every year in cryosleep. 

The screen flickered again. Further data was processed. 

"Initiating reactivation of all lifeforms. 

Dr. Helian Markos – 59, grey hair, brown eyes, highly intelligent.Responsibilities; human physiognomy and disease control, life extension, analysis ofpotential indigenous xenobiology, treatment of all health issues and management of health and biology data banks. Also caretaker of human embryo and foetus banks for planet colonisation. 

2. Flight Commander Wolf Delorian – 37, blue eyes, dark hair. Trained from age 5 as a space pilot. Has flown and commanded a wide range of space vehicles from Fox class fighters to medium size Panther class troop ships. Now in command of the Leviathan class colonisation cruiser. 

3. Catherine Flask – 33, green eyes, brown hair. Bio-engineer. Responsibilities; cultivation and monitoring of all plant life and bio-material; development of hardy, disease-resistant plant life to harsh environments using genetic engineering techniques. Responsibilities also include maintenance of data banks for biology and also for animal/plant gene and foetus banks for colonisation. 

4. Mission Technologist Lorna Grapaz – 34, grey eyes, blonde hair. Synthetic humanoid. Responsibilities; maintenance and functionality of all technological systems; data banks and online functionality; required for completion of tasks hazardous to human physiognomy. 

5. Mission Caretaker Kevin Sukiyami – 43, Asian. Responsible for mission cargo and general maintenance/functionality of all mission cargo bays, docking pods, etc; requirements also include general maintenance and upkeep of all habitable ship quarters. 

6. Project Assistant Linda Montgomery – 27, brown hair, brown eyes. Trained since her mid-teens at the Project Ark Academy. Knowledge covers all areas of the mission. 

7. Theologian Kapesh Patel – 48, Indian origin. Spiritual guide. Has vast knowledge of human spirituality and religion. 

8. Field Marshall Victor Gonzalez – 49, Hispanic. Military specialist. Diverse range of skills – combat, survival techniques and disciplines. Has understanding of the data banks on human military history. He is a proud graduate of the Earth Security Force. "

A podium in front of the cryo-units jumped to life. Lights spun around it. At the centre of the podium, a woman appeared. 

Gradually, one by one, the pods flipped open. There was a rush of gas from each as the vacuums of their seals disengaged. Life support systems began to resuscitate each crew member as they awakened sluggishly from their 100 year slumber. 


End file.
